News

Feb. 6, 1921
The New York Yankees announce they have purchased 10 acres in the West Bronx from the estate of William Waldorf Astor for $675,000. The stadium is built for $2.5-million in 284 working days from the time ground is broken.

April 18, 1923
Babe Ruth homers in front of 74,200 on opening day in a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. The House That Ruth Built is open.

July 24, 1923
Benny Leonard wins a 15-round decision over Lou Tendler to become the world lightweight boxing champion, the first of 30 fights at the stadium, including a championship bout on June 22, 1938, between Max Schmeling and Joe Louis, in which Louis stuns the German with a first-round knockout, and the final fight in the stadium's history, when Muhammad Ali stops Ken Norton on Sept. 28, 1976.

Oct. 10, 1923
The New York Giants beat the Yankees 5-4 in the first World Series game in stadium history.

Oct. 8, 1927
The Yankees win the World Series at the stadium for the first time, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 in the fourth game. Nine of the Yankees' 26 World Series titles have been won at the stadium.

Nov. 12, 1928
Knute Rockne gives his "win one for the Gipper" speech at halftime of a college football game and Notre Dame beats Army 12-8.

May 30, 1932
The Yankees begin a tradition of commemorating their greats with a monument dedicated to manager Miller Huggins. The monuments are in the field of play, and until the left-centre-field fence is moved in 1985, long fly balls and hits force fielders to go through or behind the monuments to retrieve balls.

July 4, 1939
Lou Gehrig tells 62,000 people that he considers himself "the luckiest man alive" on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day.

Nov, 9, 1946
Four Heisman Trophy winners (Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Johnny Lujack and Leon Hart) play in the same college football game as Notre Dame and Army play to a pointless tie.

April 27, 1947
Babe Ruth Day.

Oct. 8. 1956
Don Larsen throws the only perfect game in World Series history, a 2-0 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers in the fifth game. Three perfect games and six other no-hitters have been pitched at the stadium.

Dec. 30, 1956
The New York Giants beat the Chicago Bears 47-7 in the first of three NFL championship games played at the Stadium. The Giants played 117 regular-season games and four postseason games at Yankee Stadium between 1956 and 1973.

Aug. 8, 1958
The largest single one-day event in stadium history: a Jehovah's Witnesses convention that draws 123,707 people.

Dec. 28, 1958
The Baltimore Colts beat the Giants 23-17 in overtime in an NFL championship game that comes to be known as the greatest game ever played.

Oct. 1, 1961
Roger Maris hits his 61st home run, establishing a major-league record.

Oct. 4, 1965
Pope Paul VI celebrates mass before a crowd in excess of 80,000. Pope John Paul II also celebrates mass at the stadium on Oct. 2, 1978.

June 21, 1990
A celebration to honour Nelson Mandela.

June 10, 1994
Pink Floyd performs the first of two dates in succession, the last time a rock concert is held at the stadium.

Sept. 23, 2001
Prayer For America service is held to commemorate those who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.